Grain hulling or cleaning machine.



No. 887,556. PATENTBD MAY 12, 1908.

U. WEDGE.

GRAIN HULLING OR CLEANING MACHINE. APPLIOA'TIOX FILED SEPT. 30, 1905.

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UTLEY WEDGE, OF ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRAIN HULLING OR CLEANING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application filed September 30, 1905. Serial No. 280,762.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, UTLEY l/VEDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Grain Hulling or Cleaning Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of machines for hulling or cleaning rice, or other grain, in which the granular material while being fed through a hulling chamber, is subjected to such action as will cause constant change in the position of the grains constituting the mass, so that the hulls or coating of the grain will be removed by the rubbing ac tion of the grains upon each other.

Under the term grain is included such granular material as coffee berries or the like.

The object of my invention is to so construct the machine as to prevent the exertion of such pressure upon the grain as would tend to crush the same rather than cause the grains to simply change their position in the hulling chamber.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1, is a transverse section of a hulling machine constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section of the same; and Fig. 3, is a transverse section illustrating a modified form of machine.

Upon a suitable framework 1 is mounted a casing comprising opposite ends 2, opposite sides 3, a shallow central longitudinal partition 4, and a semi-circular top which may be a rigid continuation of the sides 3 of the casing, but which, in the present instance, is represented as comprising a pair of curved gates 5, pivoted, as at 6, at the top of the casing, and having their free ends working in contact with curved flanges 7 on the sides 3 of the casing.

Between each side 3 of the casing and the central partition 4 is a vertically reciprocating plunger 9, which extends from end to end of the casing and is connected.to a slide 10, which is guided vertically upon one or more rods 11, suitably mounted upon the framework 1, reciprocating movement being imparted to each slide by means of eccentrics 12 located upon a longitudinal shaft 13, which turns in suitable bearings on the frame, each eccentric having a sleeve which is connected to its respective slide.

The eccentrics 12 are so disposed upon the shaft 13 that as one plunger 9 is raised the other will be lowered, hence a mass of grain contained in and substantially filling the hulling chamber 14 will, as the plungers are reciproeated, be subjected to pressure, first upon one side of the partition 4 and then upon the opposite side of the same, each side of the mass being relieved from pressure by the descending plunger as the opposite side is being subjected to pressure by the ascending plunger. There will, therefore, be a constant change in the position of the individual grains constituting the mass in the hulling chamber, said grains flowing laterally from one side of the chamber to the other over the top of the partition 4, and this movement being facilitated by the curved contour presented by the wings 5, which constitute the top of the treating chamber casing, the lateral shifting movement of the grains from one side of the treating chamber to the other being still further facilitated, if desired, by imparting a curved contour to the upper or acting faces of the plungers 9, as shown, or the casing top or plungers alone being thus curved, if desired.

The eccentrics 12 are preferably slotted as shown, so that they can be adjusted upon the shaft 13 to vary their throw, and thus govern the extent of movement of the grain in the hulling chamber, due to the action of the plungers thereupon.

The CUI'VGdfOIlHELlZlOIl of the casing or plunger serves to prevent, or, in great measure, to reduce the direct compression to which the grains are subjected, the tendency to lateral displacement caused by the curvature of either or both of the surfaces between which the grains are being compressed insuring the lateral escape of the grains from between the compressing surfaces before a crushing pressure is likely to be reached, hence the per centage of loss from such crushing of the grains in my machine is reduced to a minimum. Straight diagonal faces may be used instead of the curved faces of the casing and plunger, if desired.

The tendency to lateral deflection of the grains in the hulling chamber depends upon the diagonal relation of the casing top or plunger face in respect to the lane of movement of the plunger, and it is t ierefore desirable to be able to vary the angle of this relation so as to govern or regulate the degree of pressure to which the grains will be subjected in accordance with the character of the gra ns which are being acted upon. When swingmg gates 5 constitute the curved top of the hull ing chamber, or similar swinging gates 15 constitute the curved tops of the plungers 9, the angle of either gate in respect to the plane of movement of the plunger may be varied by adjustment of a set screw 16 bearing upon the back of the gate, but in some cases it may also'be desirable to provide a predetermined limit of compression, in which case either gate may be backed by a spring 17, so that when such predetermined limit of compression is reached the 'gate will yield and the spring will be compressed. This construction may also be adopted in connection with plungers having acting faces at right angles to the plane of movement of the plunger, or, in other cases, the yielding member of the structure may be other than part of either casing or plunger, for instance, in Fig. 3, I have shown a casing having a fixed but curved top, and plungers having fixed and flat upper faces, the top of the casing having a central depending rib or flange 30 preferably wedge-shaped as shown, and having a stem projecting through a slot in the top of the casing, and suitably guided, by one or more rods 31, so that it may move to right or left under control of springs 32, whose tension may be varied by adjustment of nuts 33 on the rod or rods 31, upward movement of the right hand plunger causing the rib to be pressed towards the left and upward movement of the left hand plunger causing the rib to be pressed towards the right.

In order to vary the capacity of the hulling chamber 14 as well as to change the terminations of the stroke of either plunger in respect to the artition 4, said plungers are preferably acjustable in respect to the slides 10, Which adjustment may be effected in any desired manner, the present means for accomplishing this end being the bolts 19, which connect the slides and plungers, each of said bolts being threaded in one direction at one end for engagement with the plunger and threaded in the opposite direction at the other end for engagement with the slide, so that by simply turning the bolt in one direction or the other the plunger can be raised or lowered in respect to the slide.

The mass of gram is caused to pass longitudinally through the hulling chamber from one end. to the other, one end 2 of the casing of said hulling chamber having a discharge slot 20, whose area may, if desired, be regulated by means of slide plates on either or both sides of the same, the opposite end 2 of the hulling chamber casing having a feed hopper 21 provided at the bottom with a relatter having a guided stem 23 provided with a projecting in 24 which engages one slotte arm of a ever 25, suitably mounted and having another slotted arm engaging a pin 26 carried by a slide 27, which is guided in a manner similar to the slides 10 and is operated by an eccentric 28 on the shaft 13, as shown in Fig. 2.

While the use of a plurality of reversely acting plungers is preferred, my invention is susceptible of embodiment in a machine hav ing only a single plunger, if desired. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A grain hulling machine having a hull ing chamber casing, a pair of reversely reciprocating side-by-side plungers therein, and non-rotating resisting surfaces betweenwhich and the end of the plungers the grain is com pressed, one of said compressing agencies being inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the plungers to cause back and forth movement of the grains across the hulling chamber.

2. A grain hulling machine having a hulling chamber casing, a pair of reversely reciprocating side-by-side plungers therein, and non-rotating resisting surfaces between which and the ends of the plungers the grain is compressed, each of said compressing agencies being inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the plungers to cause back and forth movement of the grains across the hulling chamber.

3. A grain hulling machine having a hulling chamber casing, a pair of reversely reciprocating sideby-side plungers therein, and a pair of resisting surfaces between which and the ends of the plungers the grain is compressed, one of said compressing agencies being inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the plungers to cause back and forth movement of the grains across the hulling chamber and the opposed compressing agency having an elastic backing whereby it may yield to the thrust exerted upon it.

41. A grain hulling machine having a hulling chamber casing, a pair of reversely reciprocating side-by-side plungers therein, and a pair of resisting surfaces between which and the ends of the plungers the grain is compressed, both of said compressing agencies being inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the plungers to cause back and forth movement of the grains across the hulling chamber and one of them being provided with an elastic backing whereby it can yield to the thrust exerted upon it.

5. A grain hulling machine having a hulling chamber casing, a pair of reversely reciprocating sideby-side plungers therein, and a pair of resisting surfaces between which and the ends of the plungers the grain is compressed, one of said compressing agencies eing inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the plungers to cause back and forth movement of the grains across the hulling chamber and being combined with means whereby the angle of such inclination can be varied.

6. A grain hulling machine having a hulling chamber casing, a pair of reversely reciprocating side-by-side plungers therein, and a pair of resisting surfaces between which and the ends of the plungers the grain is compressed, both of said compressing agencies being inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the plungers to cause back and forth movement of the grains across the hulling chamber, and one of them being combined with means for varying the angle of its inclination and the other having an elastic backing which permits it to yield to the thrust exerted u on it.

7. A grain hul ing machine having a hulling chamber casing, a pair of reversely reciprocating side-by-side plungers therein, and a pair of resisting surfaces between which and the ends of the plungers the grain is compressed, one of said compressing agencies eing inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the plungers to cause back and forth movement of the grains across the hulling chamber and being mounted so as to move in a direction transversely the direction of movement of the lungers and provided with an elastic bac ing for resisting such movement.

8. A grain hulling machine having a hull ing chamber casing, means for supplying grain to said casing confining it therein, and feeding it therethrough, a pair of reversely reciprocating side-by-side plungers in said casing and a pair of resisting surfaces between which and the ends of the plungers the grain is compressed, one of said compressing agencies being inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the plungers to cause back and forth movement of the grain across the hulling chamber.

9. A grain hulling machine having a hulling chamber casing, means for supplying grain to said casing, confining it therein, and

feeding it therethrough, a pair of reversely reciprocating side-by-side plungers in said casing, and a pair of resisting surfaces between which and the ends of the plungers the grain is compressed, each of said compressing agencies being inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the plungers to cause back and forth movement of the grain across the hulling chamber.

10. A grain hulling machine having a hulling chamber casing, means for supplying grain to said casing, confining it therein, and feeding it therethrough, a pair of reversely reciprocating side-by-side plungers in said casing, and a pair of resisting surfaces between which and the ends of the plungers the grain is compressed, one of said compressing agencies being inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the plungers to cause back and forth movement of the grain across the hulling chamber and the opposed compressing agency having an elastic backing whereby it may yield to the thrust exerted upon it.

11. A grain hulling machine having a hulling chamber casing, means for supplying grain to said casing, confining it therein, and feeding it therethrough, a pair of reversely reciprocating side-by-side plungers in said casing, and a pair of resisting surfaces between which and the ends of the plungers the grain is compressed, both of said compressing agencies being inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the lungers to cause back and forth movement 0 the grain across the hulling chamber and one of them being provided with an elastic backing whereby it can yield to the thrust exerted upon it.

12. A grain hulling machine having a hulling chamber casing, means for supplying grain to said casing, confining it therein, and feeding it therethrough, a pair of reversely reciprocating side-byside plungers in said casing, and a pair of resisting surfaces between which and the ends of the plungers the grain is compressed, one of said compressing agencies being inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the plungers to cause back and forth movement of the grain across the hulling chamber and being combined with means whereby the angle of such inclination can be varied.

13. A grain hulling machine having a hulling chamber casing, means for supplying grain to said casing, confining it therein, and feeding it therethrough, a pair of reversely reciprocating side-by-side plungers in said casing, and a pair of resisting surfaces between which and the ends of the plungers the grain is compressed, both of said compressing agencies being inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the plungers to cause back and forth movement of the grain across the hulling chamber, and one of them being combined with means for varying the angle of its inclination and the other having an elastic backing which permits it to yield to the thrust exerted upon it.

14. A grain hulling machine having a hulling chamber casing, means for supplying grain to said casing, confining it therein and feeding it therethrough, a pair of reversely reciprocating side-by-side plungers in said casing, and a pair of resisting surfaces between which and the ends of the plungers the grain is compressed, one of said compressing agencies being inclined in respect to the direction of movement of the plungers to cause back and forth movement of the grain across name to this specification, in the presence of the hulling chamber and being mounted so as two subscribing witnesses. to move in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the lungers and pro- UTLEY WEDGE 5 vided with an elastic bac King for resisting Witnesses:

such movement. KATE A. BEADLE,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my Jos. H. KLEIN. 

